So I went out on a journey for groceries for the first time in Dublin. I was surprised at the differences between groceries stores in Dublin and in Holland, Kalamazoo, and all of America. The store is called SPAR and it was hard to navigate. They did not even have everything I was looking for, …
Category Archives: Daily Life
First Day
Hi guys! I have just arrived In Dublin. I took a taxi from the airport, meeting two lovely ladies in the IES program along the way. The taxi driver was pretty funny, stringing American lyrics to go along with the occasional yank declaration. Somehow, someway, we made our way to the Binary Hub, which will be my …
¿Dónde empezar?
So much has happened in the past few days that I feel a gallery of photos would better express my excitement for the wonders that I had the privilege of beholding. The enormous Palacio Real (ironically, the king and queen do not live here), the beautiful and monumental Almudena Cathedral where the current king and …
The First Bout of FOMO
I began dreaming of my college study abroad semester pretty early on in my high school Spanish classes (what else would have motivated me to get through all those “preterite versus imperfect” lectures?). During Hope prospective student visit days, I sat front row at every off-campus study info session, stored away all the pamphlets, and talked to …
A Few Days Out…
And I could not be more excited to meet my roommates and move into my new apartment! We received our roommate assignments about two weeks ago. I am assigned to a one bedroom apartment with two girls from other colleges around the country. Now, I know what you are thinking… “One bedroom!? For three girls!?” …
2 ears, 1 mouth
“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry.” James 1:19 If you know my personality, you know that I am often a better listener than talker. I’m slow to contribute to conversations, and it seems like when I do speak, …
I’m a bad vegetarian
I’m a bad vegetarian. I’m not Catholic, but I’m feeling a need to confess. This last month here in Chile has really tested my commitment to my self-imposed dietary guidelines, and truth be told, they haven’t stood up to the test. I have three (kinda funny) examples of the challenges of being a vegetarian while traveling. …
Smells of the City
My friend Luisa has a very sensitive nose. This is one of the first things I learned about her when we met three weeks ago. She sampled my gnocchi and told me it had hints of sweet potato in it. I had no idea. Luisa’s nose has come in handy various times, like when we …
Cuidar la Tierra
Last week, when my Chilean family went on a hike with other families from the church, they turned it into a learning experience for everyone about caring for the environment. It was so sweet how my Chilean parents took it upon themselves to educate people on how to “cuidar la tierra.” One woman, Gloria, who organized the …
Sí, claro…
Chileans are incredible chatters, and they don’t slow down for anyone. It can be pretty difficult to keep up, especially with all the Chilenismos and “po’s” thrown in. Within hours of my arrival, I humbly accepted just vaguely understanding most things in the coming semester. When I don’t know how to respond, or if I get lost …
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